Youth to be tried for supplying knives

Youth goes forward for trial for alleged involvement in stabbing


A TEEN who allegedly provided knives which were subsequently used in the stabbing of a youth on March 16, 2013, has been sent forward for trial to Castlebar Circuit Court.
The 16-year-old who cannot be named, as he is under the age of 18, appeared before the Children’s Court in Castlebar charged with violent disorder.
It is alleged that the teen provided the knives which were used in an attack in Westport and resulted in the injured party receiving life threatening injuries.
Judge Mary Devins refused jurisdiction due to a number of issues, including the serious nature of the alleged offence.
The teen will appear before court on June 12 next for service of the book of evidence.
He also appeared before court for an unrelated incident in which, according to Judge Devins, he beat a double transplant recipient ‘senseless’. A previous court sitting heard that the youth bumped into the man at Garryduff Stores, Castlebar, on February 7, 2013.
The other male told the teen ‘you should watch where you’re going’. The youth left the shop to return to the car his mother was in, however he subsequently returned to the shop where he struck the man a number of times on the head.
The court was told that the 33-year-old man was a double transplant recipient of a pancreas and liver. Referring to the probation report before the court, Judge Devins said, ‘it’s a long time since I read such a negative report’.
Defending solicitor in the assault charge, Cathy McDarby said her client had a ‘turbulent childhood’ and had a ‘lack of understanding of crimes’. Ms McDarby asked that her client be given one final chance and not given a custodial sentence.
Though reluctant to adjourn the matter, Judge Devins warned the youth that if the next probation report was not ‘all positive’ she would be sending him to St Patrick’s Institution and adjourned the matter to June 12.